Carnegie Mellon's Heinz School Moves Closer to Offering Degrees in South Australia

PITTSBURGH—Carnegie Mellon University's H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management is poised to begin offering graduate programs in South Australia early next year through a branch program arrangement.

The South Australian State Government introduces a bill this week providing funding and space for the Heinz School to offer two of its popular technology and management degree programs.

The Heinz School hopes to offer its Master of Science in Information Technology and its Master of Science in Public Policy and Management in early 2006 through this branch of the Heinz School.

South Australian Premier Mike Rann said that the state plans to allocate a commitment of nearly $20 million in support of the new branch's academic offerings over the next four years. If approved, the government also will provide space for the programs in the historic Torrens Building in Victoria Square, Adelaide.

A final contract between Carnegie Mellon and the State Government should be reached this summer. If approved by Australia's academic accrediting bodies and the two parties, Carnegie Mellon will become the first foreign university in Australia.

Carnegie Mellon and the South Australian State Government announced in October 2004 that both parties would engage in a feasibility study into whether Carnegie Mellon might offer Heinz School graduate degrees to students from Australia and the Asia-Pacific area.

"Intensive negotiations between the State Government and Carnegie Mellon have been occurring since earlier this year and arriving at this point represents a huge effort by many people across two continents. It also supports an important target in seeing Adelaide become a global university city that attracts more students from overseas and interstate," Rann said.

He added that Carnegie Mellon's program offerings would be a complement to the three existing universities in South Australia.

"Our relationship with South Australia is unique. The Heinz School aspires to have an impact on the evolution of governance, policy making and growth of the global economy in this important region of the world. That this goal is so closely aligned with the Premier's aspirations for his city and region make this an ideal partnership. We've been inspired by the Premier's vision and believe this is an important step in transforming the Heinz School into a truly global institution," Heinz School Dean Mark Wessel said.